Brewster’s Millions · Chapter
XVII: The New Tenderfoot explained
Monty returns to New York in March after his illness, determined to accelerate his spending despite his friends' dismay.
What happens
Monty returns to New York in March after his illness, determined to accelerate his spending despite his friends' dismay. He consults Grant & Ripley about Swearengen Jones's views, exchanges darkly humorous telegrams with Jones about life insurance, and proceeds with a lavish French-themed ball at Sherry's. The ball is a costly success but leaves Monty feeling heartsick and mocked. Nopper Harrison confesses to losing $60,000 of Monty's money in a failed investment, resigns his position, and accepts Monty's offer to grub-stake him for a year of prospecting in the Rocky Mountains, becoming a new tenderfoot.
Themes in this chapter
- Wealth and Extravagance
Monty's second ball, with a Versailles suite and a Viennese orchestra tour losing $56,000, epitomizes his reckless spending.
- Friendship and Loyalty
Monty's loyalty to Nopper Harrison is tested when Harrison confesses to stealing $60,000; Monty forgives him and grub-stakes his prospecting venture.
- Moral Dilemmas and Restrictions
Harrison's embezzlement and subsequent guilt, and Monty's struggle with the irony and mockery behind his friends' compliments, highlight moral conflicts.
Characters to notice
- Montgomery Brewster
Returns to New York after illness, resumes extravagant spending, feels heartsick and mocked at his ball, and grub-stakes Nopper Harrison for a gold prospecting venture.
- Nopper Harrison
Confesses to losing $60,000 of Monty's money in a failed stock investment, resigns his position, and accepts Monty's grub-stake to prospect for gold in the Rocky Mountains.
- Swearengen Jones
Exchanges telegrams with Monty about life insurance, displaying his eccentric and sardonic mentorship.
- Grant & Ripley
Monty consults them about Jones's opinion; they report no complaint from Montana and advise him to continue.
- Elon Gardner
Returns to New York a physical wreck after the Viennese orchestra tour, which resulted in a net loss of over $56,000 for Monty.
- Paul Pettingill
Takes charge of the ball preparations, changes the theme from Spanish to French, and creates a Versailles suite at Sherry's.
- Mrs. Dan DeMille
Is satisfied with the ball, but Monty detects irony behind the compliments.
- Peggy Gray
Remains a loyal friend; Monty turns to her more often and visits her library frequently.
Key passages
“Behind the compliments lavished upon him he detected a note of irony, which revealed the laughter that went on behind his back.”
Monty sensed that the praise he received was insincere and that people were mocking him secretly.
Reveals Monty's growing awareness of social hypocrisy.
“I've made up my mind, Monty, to go out west, up in the mountains perhaps. There's no telling, I may stumble on a gold mine up there—and—well, that seems to be the only chance I have to restore what I have taken from you.”
Nopper decides to head west to prospect for gold as his only hope to repay the money he lost.
Sets up Nopper's departure and the grub-staking arrangement.
